When an evil influence plagues Hyrule, Link must take up the legendary Master Sword and become the Hero of Time once more.

DISCLAIMER: I am not making money off this, and I am not claiming to own anything that appears in this story. The plot has probably not even really mine either. Likely been done before somewhere, somehow.

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Chapter One - The Hero of Time

(Author's note: This is a direct sequel to /The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time/, and this story makes two changes to the canon of that game. First of all, I write Sheik and Zelda as separate characters. In my version, Zelda dressed as Sheik only twice. Once to speak to Link in Kakariko Village and then to give Link the Light Arrows. Second, this story does not follow the canon events of Zelda returning Link to the past after Ganon's defeat. If you cannot tolerate these changes, you are advised to read no further.)

"Steeling his nerve, the Hero of Time pushed the gold key, with its ruby head, into the ornate lock on the heavy door, and turned it carefully."

The majority of Hyrule had enjoyed undisturbed peace for six months after Ganondorf, the King of Evil, had been sealed into a void in the Temple of Light by Zelda and the other sages.

"It was not water at all but a gelatinous mass that seemed to ripple of its own accord."

Deep within the temples, monsters of varying degrees of severity appeared without warning, but the creatures were dealt with before they ever escaped into the light of day.

"In his intense concentration on the large amoeba squirming within a downed tentacle, the Hero of Time was not aware of another tentacle rising behind him, preparing to attack."

Queen Zelda had ascended to her father's throne and rebuilt Hyrule Castle to be grander than it had ever been, and she, with the help of the other Sages in their beloved areas, had overseen the recovery of every part of Hyrule.

"After the Hero of Time dealt the final, fatal blow to Morpha, rain began to fall, and the dried Lake Hylia was filled with pure water once more."

The wide-eyed children of Kakariko Village were silent as their storyteller drew his bandaged fingers across the strings to play the final chord on his lyre. The children could scarcely imagine where the courageous Hero of Time was now or what he could be doing to keep himself ready for battle.

Two powerful horses were spurred faster and faster as they leapt over wooded rails of different heights situated around the perimeter of a corral. A tan stallion cleared the highest obstacle with only a whinny of protest as its rider, once the horse landed the jump, attempted to induce it to go faster. The rider, a young woman with bright red hair that was unrestrained even in the wind of the race, gave a laugh as another, lower hurdle was effortlessly cleared. She knew that her horse, hard as he ran, would never catch the mare two obstacles ahead.

The mahogany mare stopped only after her rider pulled her reins gently once he had guided her over a white line near the gate of the corral that marked both the starting and end point of the race. The young man mounted upon the horse was nearly eighteen, and he was dressed in a green tunic, an outfit that few in Hyrule would not know. Effortlessly, he dismounted, and he rewarded his mare for her hard work with a pat on the nose.

"I win," he pointed out with a small chuckle to the young woman about his age that was dismounting from the stallion, "again."

"You, fairy boy, had nothing to do with it! It was all Epona," the girl retorted. She spoke in an indignant tone, but her grin and shining eyes betrayed her playful intentions. The blond laughed a little, but it was only a moment before his eyes caught the distant peak of Death Mountain and the calm ring of smoke that surrounded the top of it.

"I wonder how Darunia and the other Gorons are faring," he said quietly.

The young woman gave an exasperated sigh. "Link, why not visit them? I really hate to disappoint you, but Father and I can manage for a few days without you here."

"Are you sure, Malon?" Try as he might to think only of being responsible to his duties at the ranch, Link could feel his pulse quicken at the idea of running free for a little while.

"We managed before you came along," Malon reminded the young man.

"Great!" Link too another look at the long mountain before he beamed at Malon. "I won't be gone for more than a week, I swear!" Without even a moment of thought or hesitation, he embraced the farm girl and hurried away from the corral, leaving a confused horse and a blushing young woman to await his return.

Within in a few minutes, the room in the farmhouse that Link called his own had lost its tidy appearance. A red tunic was stuffed into a saddlebag, and a small glass bottle containing a calm glow of pink light was tied by the man to his belt. He strapped a quiver of arrows to his back and took his bow in his left hand.

"Hey!" Link turned his head toward the floating ball of blue light that had called out and was now only a few feet from his face, weaving up and down to get his attention.

"What is it, Navi?" he asked the fairly, still grinning.

"Don't forget your sword!"

Link's expression dropped severely as he cast his gaze towards the weapon he had hoped to leave behind. The hilt never had shined, not even when he'd spent days trying to clean it. The blade did not flash at every swing, did not give off the very essence of power. The scabbard was brown and plain, completely common. It certainly wasn't the--- but he didn't need that sword anymore, Link reminded himself.

"I won't."

The sheathed blade felt heavy on his back, but Link carried himself erect as he left the house, careful not to let any of Talon's cuccoos out of the house. He didn't feel like having to chase them around the ranch before he could leave. He wanted to get on his way to Kakariko Village and Death Mountain. Every muscle in the body and thought in his head focused on impending freedom. He loved the ranch and liked Malon and her father, but he needed out, if only for days.

Malon waited near the house, Epona's reins in her hand. The mare's saddle had been changed to a grander style than the previous saddle, and it had a few unused cords, specifically designed to hold cargo. To one of these, Link tied the canvas bag containing his Goron tunic. The Hylian male took the mare's reins and mounted. After he waved again to his gracious hostess, he spurred the horse into a slow trot and quickened its pace as gradually as he could bear.

Once the threshold of the ranch, and several more long strides, had been cleared by the steed, her rider let out a whoop. Link slowed Epona to a brisk trot. It had been a long time since he had felt so alive. Really, he considered, this was the first time in a long while that he had even desired to leave Lon Lon Ranch. The thought made him glance back, towards the ranch, and a chill moved through him. With a kind of start, Link urged Epona back into a gallop once again, towards Kakariko.